Sea Turtles in Paradise
by Californiagirl2
Summary: One shot set after 12:21 Just for fun. Luka can't bring Abby to the ocean so he brings the ocean to Abby.


A/N: Usual disclaimers apply, not my characters, etc, etc. Set at the end of The Hero Gallant and the Tragic Victor. Since I did something completely different for this bit in time for Dream Lover – I thought I'd take another stab at what might have happened that night. It's a bit of luby fluff – but we have three more months to wait – so I think fluff is okay at this point. It's just a one shot.

"Sea Turtles in Paradise"

"Close your eyes."

"What are you doing?"

Holding her hand, he led her behind him. "Just follow me. I'm taking you to the ocean like you wanted."

"Well, it sounds like the ocean."

"You can open them now."

The bathroom was lit with candles, ocean sounds played via CD, and the tub was filled with bubbles.

"Ocean music?"

"I got it for your labor."

Abby gave him a look.

"What? It's supposed to help."

"I'll be sure to play it for you if you ever pass a kidney stone. There aren't bubbles in the ocean you know."

He shrugged. "Sea foam."

She smiled. Touched his collar. "I'm teasing. It's beautiful . . . . .and thoughtful. Thank you. The water is warm isn't it? We _are_ in the tropics?"

"Try it."

She dipped in her fingers and smiled.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Abby stepped in carefully so as not to lose her balance. She settled down and leaned back grateful that instead of cold porcelain, she was nestling into Luka's warm, hard chest.

"Lean forward, I'll rub your neck." Abby offered up her neck and back, and Luka went to work on the knots.

"Mmmmm that's nice. I can't believe we fit."

"It's bigger than yours. Remember the first time we did this?'

She smiled. "Oh my god, that was years ago."

"Just you and me … and Mr. Bubble."

Abby laughed at the memory. "That sounds kinky."

"It was kinky if I remember right."

"I think our positions were switched. I distinctly remember rubbing your back."

"I distinctly remember a variety of positions that night. We ended up with more water on your bathroom floor than in the tub." He laughed remembering her covered with bubbles, smiling. It had been one of those rare moments, when they had been together that first time, when he had believed she could be happy with him, that they could be happy together.

"I think _we_ ended up on the bathroom floor. Don't get too excited though. I'm not nearly as mobile as I was then, big belly and all." She smiled at the memory. It had been one of those few times when she had felt that maybe they would make something out of all the mess. Who would have believed everything could be so different between them . . . . and yet . . the same.

"It's okay. I like the belly." She laughed as his hands left her back and slid around to her middle. Leaning against him she sighed. "And the breasts are nice too." He murmured as his hands moved up briefly to caress them, then slid back down. No need to rush.

"It doesn't seem fair."

"What?"

"I'm here with you . . relaxing .. . .in the . .. .ocean . . and Neela . . . . "

"You did what you could tonight . . and tomorrow you'll do more . . . . but right now . . . we both deserve a break . .. . . and too much stress isn't good for you. . . . or the baby." Her arms wound up around his neck.

"Or you."

"So . . we're on vacation . .just for a few hours . . okay?"

"Okay."

"So, if we could be anywhere in the world right now. Where would you want us to be?"

"I'm definitely enjoying the ocean idea. Maybe a tropical island? Aruba, St. Thomas . . . Bali . . . . .at one of those plush hotels. . . . maybe even the kind with theme rooms . . . " A few tendrils of hair had escaped from her ponytail, and he wrapped a finger around the loose strands and then released the coil.

"Theme rooms?"

"Yeah, every room is different . . . .I don't know maybe an ocean room or a jungle room or . . . "

"A jungle room? You mean like me Tarzan . . you Jane?"

"You have watched an incredible amount of bad American TV haven't you?"

"Shift work. You know it's late . . .you turn it on . . . . . see a guy wrestling an alligator and a girl in a sarong . . and you have to watch."

Abby giggled. "I'm sure that alligator wrestling would be an extra charge."

"Would there be vines?"

"Vines? You mean to swing on? You are really scaring me now."

Luka laughed. "I'll settle for you in the sarong."

"Only if you're in the loin cloth." She ran her hands down his thighs. "So, if we could be anywhere in the world right now . . your choice . . .where would we be?"

"Croatia."

"Really?"

"Mmmm beautiful beaches there . . . I could show you . . . all my Croatian mating rituals."

"You mean there are more? Sounds intriguing." Luka sighed. Abby put her hands over his still resting on her belly. "You miss it."

"Sometimes. I get homesick to hear the language, smell the food .. . things like that. . . .and of course see my family. .. . old friends. If we were there, you could meet them." She was the first woman that he had wanted to bring home since he was sixteen. It was a good feeling. Her body tensed against his, and she shifted uncomfortably. "You wouldn't want to go?"

"I . .. I don't know. I guess I hadn't thought about it. It would be nice to meet your family . . . .I think . . . "

"You think?"

"You think they'd like me?"

"Of course they would."

" They wouldn't think I'd corrupted you? Unmarried . . knocked up . . . loose, American divorcee?"

"Abby . . . . . of course not . . . . they're happy for me . . excited about the baby."

Abby sighed and sinking lower rested her head on his arm. They were quiet for a few minutes. He had closed his eyes, letting himself drift away on the warm water and the feel of Abby's body against his own. When he opened them again and looked down at her, he could see her forehead wrinkled a frown on her lips.

"Abby, what's wrong?"

"I can't stop thinking about it. I just feel so bad for Neela. It's so hard to lose someone you love." _It could have been you . . . if you'd gone back to Africa_.

He stroked her hair and wrapped his legs around hers. "She's strong. She'll get through it."

"She was already missing him . . . . now it's just ., . . . permanent."

Neither spoke for several minutes. His hand made lazy circles over her belly, the baby twitched underneath his movements.

Luka sighed and finally broke the silence hanging between them. "You know what's strange about missing someone? The things you miss. It's not so much the big things that you think you would – the obvious things. It's more the little details of the person." He paused. "I missed the smell of your hair." _And the color of your eyes when we make love, the way you wrap your legs around me, your giggle . . . . ._

Abby's eyes got wide and then soft, it wasn't what she had expected to hear. "I missed your arms." He could hear the smile in her voice. She let the tips of her fingers trace his arm down to his hand, and then linger there toying with his fingers. "You have nice arms." _And I missed your hands in my hair, the way you sigh right before you fall asleep, your snoring . . . ._

"Abby."

He pulled himself up in the tub, letting her settle down into those arms and bent forward to find her mouth with his own . . . . losing himself in her sweet softness. Abby leaned back, tilting her head up to meet him with her own eager kiss, finding escape in the warm darkness that was Luka.


End file.
